Fingering attachment for stringed instruments



-'C., H. REED. v FINGERING ATTACHMENTIFOR'STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. 1,374,388-

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1918-- Patented Apr. 12,1921.

CHARLES 11. Manor SA raANorsco,

oALrronNrA. f

FINGEnrNG ATTACHMENT son STBINGED INSTRUM N S. V

A man filed nine 14, 191s.

T 0 all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that 1, Cinemas .H. REED, citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fingering Attachments for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention is an improved transposing keyboard for ukuleles, guitars, banjos, and similar stringed instruments.

The object of the invention is to provide a keyboard slidable on the neck of a stringed instrument and arranged to depress the strings against the frets by the use of keys, the heads of which are to enable one unskilled in music to follow a chart and render a composition of music.

his objectis fully accomplished in the novel structure described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my 1mproved keyboard.

Fig. 2 is an end view of same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. i is a View of the end opposite that shown in Fig. 2, with a cover removed.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a cover.

Fig. 6 is an end view of same.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a guide grip. V

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of an instrument with my improved keyboard in operative position thereon. v

Fig. 9 is a detail showing the method of attachment to the instrumen Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of a key.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a keyboard having sixteencircular holes a in its top for keys B. Both the keyboard and the keys are preferably made of, celluloid or some suitable light material.

The keys B have enlarged heads C bearing numerals from 1 to 16 in the order shown in Fig. 1, and are also provided with collars or stops two similar mortises E on its nether surface to allow the keys to play vertically.

The keys 13 are normally held up by springs F coiled around the said keys and bearing at one end against the collars D and at the op osite end against a floor plate G having hoses, registering with those in Specification of Letters Patent.

D. The keyboard A has Serial No. 239,922.

the keyboardA throughwhich the keys extend. V

To prevent the keys from turning and reversing the numerals on their heads, '1 have provided aribH on the side of each key v Pat nted Apr. 1921.

which extend throughnotches h in the side of the key holes a ofthe keyboard A. In order to extend the foot of each key laterally cf thestrings of the instrument, I haveprovided on the foot of each key a cross piece I extending beyondthe diameter of the key. f

On the bottom of the keyboardare legs J and a transverse bridge K, fthe legs J being at the lower ,end of the keyboard and'adapted to rest upon the fingerboard of the in-- strument between the strings thereofand the br dge 1x belng at the upper endof the key board and adapted to extend across the strings of the instrument and depress said strings upon the nearest fret of the instrument forwardly of the bridge. The bottom of the keys B, legs J and bridge K may be covered with felt or chamois skin.

The end of the keyboard carrying the foot K is provided with a mortise L as shown in Fig. 4. Slidable in themortise L are four centering keepers M engaging and centering the strings of the instrument with relation to the keys B. r

The keepers M are spade shaped the handle portions adapted to slide in mortises L and the opposite ends in mortises L". They are prevented from coming out shoulders N.

The keepers M are normally depressed by coiled springs O surrounding the handle portions and bearing at the upper end against the upper wall of mortise L and at the lower against the shoulders N. y

The keepers M are formed with V-shaped notches P in their lower edges which are wide enough to engage the strings of the in- Z of the size and shape of the end of the keyboard A as shown in Figs. '5 and 6.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a method of attaching my keyboard to an instrument Q. To one side wall. of the keyboard A I attach one member R of a hinge, the other member S of Which is curved to surround the neck of an instrument. The end of member S opposite the hinge is provided with a keyhole slot T for engaging a pin U in the side of the keyboard and opposite the hinge. Near the center of the hinge member S are two holes through which extend pins V to the ends of which is attached a cushion W. The cushion W is normally pressed against the back of the neck of the instrument Q by springs X hearing at one end against the cushion and at the other against the member S. The pins V are slidable within the holes in the member S. This construction allows the keyboard to be slidably secured to the instrument.

What I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A transposing keyboard having keys adapted when depressed to depress strings of a musical instrument having a neck against frets on said neck, said keyboard being slidable on the neck of said instrument and yieldably secured thereto by a yoke hinged at one end to said keyboard and removably connected to the keyboard at the oppositeend of said yoke, said keyboard being provided with a plurality of centering keepers adapted tokeep the strings in alinement with said keys, said keepers being normally depressed by coiled springs surrounding portions thereof.

2. A fingering attachment for stringed musical instruments having a neck including a transposing keyboard, means for attaching thekeyboard' to the neck of the instrument, keys on said keyboard for engaging the strings of the instrument, centering keepers yieldingly mounted in the keyboard and provided with notches in their lower edges to receive and center the strings with relation to the keys.

3. A fingering attachment for stringed musical instruments having a neck including a transposing keyboard, means for attaching the keyboard to the neck of the instrument, keys mounted in said keyboard for depressing the strings of the instrument, centering keepers slidably mounted in said keyboard for engaging and centering the strings With relation to the keys, springs for forcing the keepers into engagement with the strings, and shoulders on the keepers for engaging a part of the keyboard for limiting the outward movement of the keepers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES H. REED. 

